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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — a law
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. pass — a permit
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bear — the animal
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. toast — bread
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. chip — to eat
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. roll — a list
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. chip — in a computer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com